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Meditation and the Holidays: 5 Reasons to Give This Gift to Yourself

How have you been doing with your holiday shopping this year? I’ve been on it. When Black Friday hit, I was already about halfway done. Thanks to the online deals that were available, I’m finished and the gifts are wrapped and under the tree.

The stress of trying to find a nice gift is gone. It’s a peacefulness that is nice to experience.

Yet that sort of peacefulness is nothing compared to what meditation can provide when you’re in the midst of the holiday season. If there’s one thing you give yourself this year, make it be the gift of daily meditation. Here are 5 reasons why it would be a smart investment.

#1. It gives you a break from the holiday season.

My local stores started playing Christmas music before Halloween this year. My neighbor put up his holiday lights the week before Thanksgiving. Being in the holiday spirit 24/7 can be downright exhausting. Meditation gives you a break from it.

It also gives you a break from those moments around the holidays that can make you feel sad or mad instead of glad. If you struggle during the holidays, don’t turn to resentment. Turn to meditation so you can begin to let the difficult moments fade away.

#2. It allows you a moment to experience gratefulness.

I know it’s easy to lose perspective during the holidays. The hustle and bustle of shopping, cooking, and planning a family visit makes us forget about the fact that there are some people in this world who would trade places within you and me in a heartbeat. Meditation slows you down so you can appreciate what really is good about your current life.

I find that this really helps me to turn my negative energy into something more positive.

#3. It gives you a chance to gather yourself.

Stress can be the cause of many health conditions. It festers in your heart, body, and soul until it unleashes its wrath. During the holiday season, it tends to build up more quickly than normal. I find that meditation gives me the chance to gather myself so that I can let go of what is trying to fester inside.

Once that stress is removed, you can focus on what gives you nourishment, like the love of family and friends. With meditation, you can clear out the mess to make more room for what really matters in life.

#4. It lets you push the reset button.

I dislike December because of all the pressure that exists. You’re pressured to get a certain gift. To give certain people a gift. To spend a certain amount of money. Many times these pressures are at odds with your personal values, so the conflict creates internal instability.

Meditation helps you push the reset button. It’s like turning your brain off and then back on again. The reboot allows you to refocus on what really matters to you at a core level.

#5. It allows you to find neutrality.

I compare meditation to the role that Switzerland plays in conflicts: complete neutrality. Opinions these days fly far and fast. People are unafraid to throw bombs and insults on social media, even to their family and friends. When you bear the burdens of your friends or your family, it can weigh on your soul like a heavy anchor.

Meditation helps you to explore the neutrality of every situation. It helps you realize that not everything is directed at you on a personal level. Even 5 minutes of daily meditation can restore your center and enhance your awareness so you can be more impartial.

With meditation, you can unlock something beautiful that has been waiting to break free. Give yourself this gift and you’ll find that the holiday season really can be a source of gratefulness.

How do you cope with the holiday season? What has meditation helped you be able to accomplish this year?